How many are there? What is the survival probability? What is recruitment probability? What is the extent and pattern of movement? All of these questions are fundamental to ecological analysis and management, whether it be question-driven 'conceptual research', or practical application 'in the real world'. The intermediate workshop will explore the conceptual and quantitative methods for addressing these questions, using Program MARK. The workshop will focus on the analysis of data from marked individuals, exploring the theory and application of a variety of statistical techniques in the study of population dynamics. A mixture of lectures and laboratory exercises will be provided.

Participants will learn the basics of parameter estimation with likelihood theory, model selection with Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC), and the binomial and multinomial distributions as fundamental conceptual building blocks. We will then introduce the use of modern methods in capture-recapture and recovery analysis to estimate survival probability, abundance (and density), immigration, emigration, and population growth and sensitivity analysis using open and closed population models. The Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) mark-recapture, band (tag or ring) recovery models (both Brownie and Seber), known fate, and closed captures models will be covered in detail. More advanced models combining both open and closed population models (including occupancy modelling) will be described so that participants will understand the benefits of these models, but those models would not be covered extensively (although which models are covered beyond ‘core, fundamental’ models is somewhat at the discretion of participants).

The clientele for this intermediate workshop are (typically) biologists with some prior experience in the analysis of data from marked animals. The content is aimed at providing the participants with a solid background in the philosophy, theory, and analysis of data from marked animals. This is not a workshop for complete beginners to this subject.

Format of the workshop will be a combination of lectures and computer lab exercises, proceeding over (typically) 4-5 days. The workshop would start on the morning of the first day, and (typically) end at noon on the final day (with some time during the final afternoon to address specific user questions). Evening sessions would be provided by the instructor for any individual who would like to take advantage of the opportunity to pursue concepts and techniques further, beyond what is covered during the daily sessions.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own data for analysis to the workshop, but should recognize that a thorough analysis will not be completed at the workshop. Given the amount of material to be covered, attendees likely would not be able to begin analysis of their own data until Friday.

Details

Workshop is limited to the first 25 registrations. Deadline for applications is 10 June. For adminsitrative and cost information, please contact Erpur Snær Hansen <erpur@nattsud.is>.